UW MEN: Watts energizes Huskies

* Led by a season-best performance from guard Donald Watts, Washington holds on for a 90-84 victory over No. 10 Arizona.

SEATTLE - By taking a quick appraisal of the surrounding evidence, a visitor might have concluded Thursday was a momentous evening in Montlake.

All the seats at Hec Edmundson Pavilion were occupied, and Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel, the new golden boy in town, spent the first half huddled on the floor, sitting at the right hand of Husky athletic director Barbara Hedges.

The reason for elevated expectation was a visit from the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats and former Seattle schoolboy star Jason Terry. To the delight of the sold-out audience, the Huskies survived an often brilliant and never bashful performance by Terry and weathered a late Arizona rally to emerge with a 90-84 win.

In the process, Washington (13-7, 6-4 Pac-10) earned one of those victories that tend to look good in March when the NCAA selection committee gets together and hands out invitations to the big tournament.

Terry, who played all 40 minutes, finished with 28 points in his last scheduled college appearance in his hometown, but needed to hoist 31 shots to reach that figure. The Huskies had enough balance to offset Terry and the beating they absorbed on the backboards, where Arizona (15-4, 7-3) hauled in 24 offensive rebounds and outrebounded UW 49-39.

But it was Watts, the senior from Lake Washington High whose season has been hindered by a right ankle sprain, who came up with the critical performance that sent Arizona and his pal Terry home losers.

"The play of Donald Watts was huge," UW coach Bob Bender said. "Donald's had a tough year with the injury and being as extensive as it was and out as long as he was. I have so much respect for what he has done for our team. Throughout his whole career, he's had a willingness to accept any role, whatever it is. Tonight it came together. His offense was huge, his leadership, and that was the difference in the ball game for us.

"Everybody played well, but Donald set the tone. He just made big play after big play after big play."

The Huskies overcame everything the Wildcats threw at them, including Terry's buzzer-beating first-half bomb, heaved just after he had crossed midcourt, that cut UW's lead to 45-39 at halftime. Washington started the second half with a 13-2 run that stretched the lead to 58-41.

From there, the Huskies preserved the victory with Bender-style guile and grit.

Any of a handful of plays might have epitomized the effort that allowed Washington to prevail. One came at a crucial juncture.

With the lead down to a tenuous 78-74, Watts missed an off-balance shot, but Thalo Green got a hand on the ball to deflect it to MacCulloch, who was fouled and converted two free throws to make it 80-74 with 2:42 left.

"Those are things that are often called the 'little things' that win games," Bender said. "Around here, we've changed the terminology. We call them 'winning' things. It's getting a loose ball; it's taking a charge; it's blocking out. We talked about (establishing) an identity, and those are the things we have to do to win games."

Arizona kept applying the pressure, but Watts turned in a conventional three-point play with 1:12 left, and UW made 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute to stretch its home winning streak to 13 games over the past two seasons.

When it was over, Watts summed up Washington's effort best, saying, "We did the necessary things.

"It was a huge win," he added. "We did everything but rebound the ball. That's the only reason they were in the game. If we keep them off the glass, it's a 15, 20-point win."

With all the acclaim earned by Terry, who starred at Franklin, and his own disappointing season so far, Watts admitted that he felt something of a challenge.

"I looked at it like I've got nine games left in my season," said Watts, who added seven rebounds and three assists. "I've got nine games left to show people that I'm one of the top players in the Pac-10."

MEN

Thursday

Washington 90, Arizona 84

Saturday

Arizona St. at Washington,

5 p.m.

KOMO 1000-AM radio; FSN TV

INSIDE/B4

UW women lose to Arizona,

84-58.

Reach reporter John Wallingford at (360) 792-9216 or at jwallingford@thesunlink.com.

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